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theguardian.com
OpenAI shelves Stargate UK in blow to Britain’s AI ambitions
Artificial intelligence company cites high energy costs and regulation for putting landmark project on holdBusiness live – latest updatesOpenAI has put on hold plans for a landmark UK investment citing high energy costs and regulation, in a blow to the government which has put AI at the centre of its growth strategy.Stargate UK was a part of the UK-US AI deal announced last September, in which US companies appeared to commit £31bn to the UK’s tech sector, part of a larger series of investments intended to “mainline AI” into the British economy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Automatic U.S. military draft registration planned by December, filing shows
The proposed timetable for automatic military draft registration came weeks after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran.
cnbc.com
10-year Treasury yield hovers near 4.3% after oil price gain, sticky inflation data
The 10-year Treasury yield moved lower on Thursday as oil prices rallied and investors digested a number of key data releases.
bbc.com
OpenAI pauses UK data centre deal over energy costs and regulation
The project was part of a package of tech investment promising the UK could become an AI superpower.
theguardian.com
Battery factory due to supply Jaguar Land Rover to get £380m UK grant
Government investment in Tata-owned Agratas plant expected to boost economic growth and secure jobs The Somerset battery factory due to supply Jaguar Land Rover is to receive £380m in UK government funding as it pushes ahead with construction despite delays.JLR, Britain’s largest automotive employer, is due to receive batteries from the site to make electric versions of its Range Rover and Jaguar models. The Indian conglomerate Tata owns JLR and the electric vehicle (EV) battery factory under its Agratas subsidiary. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Lidl to open 50 UK stores in year ahead – and its first pub
Almost 2,000 jobs will be created, with retailer vying to overtake Morrisons as Britain’s fifth largest supermarket Lidl is to open 50 new UK stores in the year ahead – as well as its first pub – as it aims to overtake Morrisons as the country’s fifth largest supermarket chain.The German-owned retailer has begun building a pub in east Belfast in response to strict local licensing laws that cap the number of premises that can sell alcohol. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The Strait of Hormuz is not open as Iran controls access after ceasefire, UAE oil CEO says
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber demanded a full reopening of the strait, warning that the oil supply disruption will increase if Iran maintains control of the passage.
cnbc.com
U.S. oil price jumps more than 3% as Iran controls access through Strait of Hormuz
Oil markets rose after Iran accused the United States of violating elements of a two-week ceasefire agreement.
cnbc.com
Hormuz Strait oil traffic way down after ceasefire; Hassett says even one tanker is big deal
Trump said the temporary ceasefire is "subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz."
cnbc.com
Europe stocks end lower as U.S-Iran ceasefire comes under strain
Shares in Europe finished lower on Thursday, as the fragile truce agreed between the U.S. and Iran already shows signs of strain.
cnbc.com
Trump says U.S. ready for 'next conquest,' warns military will remain near Iran until 'real agreement' is honored
The statement came a day after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, which halted six weeks of fighting.
bbc.com
Jo Malone hopes 'sense will prevail' in lawsuit over her name
The British perfume designer and Zara are being sued by Estée Lauder over a collaboration.
theguardian.com
Gentleman’s Relish is toast after its maker axes the pungent anchovy spread
Falling sales end production of condiment created in 1828 – but London restaurant Simpson’s keeps it on the menuFans of traditional British cuisine were heartbroken by news that Gentleman’s Relish was being discontinued by its manufacturer.But Jeremy King, who last month reopened Simpson’s in the Strand, has instructed his chef to create a version of the pungent anchovy-based condiment almost identical to the real thing for the 198-year-old London restaurant. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Jo Malone ‘surprised and sad’ after being sued for £200,000 for using her name on fragrances
Estée Lauder Companies claims Zara collaboration with perfumer breaches long-standing naming agreementThe British perfumer Jo Malone has said she is “surprised and very sad” after being sued for more than £200,000 in damages for using her name on fragrances she created for the fashion chain Zara.It emerged last month that New York-based multinational Estée Lauder Companies, which owns brands M.A.C, Bobbi Brown, Estée Lauder and Jo Malone London, was taking legal action, claiming the fragrance entrepreneur infringed trademarks. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK navy foiled Russian submarines surveying undersea cables, defence minister says
John Healey says warship and aircraft forced Russia to abandon activity in North Sea in month-long operationUK politics live – latest updatesEurope live – latest updatesA British warship and aircraft tracked and monitored Russian submarines trying to survey vital undersea infrastructure in the North Atlantic, ensuring they fled the area, the defence secretary, John Healey, has said.Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Healey said the UK operation lasted more than a month and saw a Royal Navy warship and P8 marine patrol aircraft “track and deter any malign activity” by three Russian submarines. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump wants Strait of Hormuz open 'without limitation, including tolls' during Iran ceasefire: White House
Iran is reportedly planning to demand that shipping firms pay tolls in cryptocurrency to let their oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
Inflation held sticky at 3% as U.S. headed into war with Iran, key Fed gauge shows
The gauge released Thursday offers the Federal Reserve a snapshot of conditions leading into the Iran war.
theguardian.com
Strait of Hormuz not open, Abu Dhabi’s oil chief says as crude prices rise
Uncertainty over US-Iran ceasefire pushes price of Brent crude towards $100 a barrelBusiness live – latest updatesMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe boss of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company has said the strait of Hormuz is “not open” despite the US-Iran ceasefire agreed earlier this week, as uncertainty over the truce pushed the price of Brent crude towards $100 a barrel on Thursday.Sultan Al Jaber, the chief executive officer of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), said passage through the crucial waterway was subject to “permission, conditions and political leverage” by Iran. He said energy security and global economic stability depended on the strait being opened “fully, unconditionally and without restriction”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Head of IMF says Iran war will permanently scar global economy even if peace is reached
Kristalina Georgieva says even ‘most hopeful scenario’ will lead to growth downgrade and cause permanent hit to living standardsBusiness live – latest updatesThe head of the International Monetary Fund has warned that the Iran war will permanently scar the global economy even if a durable peace deal in the Middle East can be reached.In a speech delivered as the ceasefire in the conflict threatened to unravel, Kristalina Georgieva said the “scarring effects” caused by the war to date would mean slower global growth this year than first anticipated. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Buy bread in the evening, hit the sales on a Tuesday: retail workers’ top tips to cut your shopping bill
From the ideal time to go discount-sticker shopping to the best day of the week to visit charity shops, industry insiders offer their advice on how to keep costs down as prices riseFrom supermarkets’ yellow-stickered items to apps for free food, there are many ways to lower your shopping bill amid the cost of living crisis. Retail workers share their insider info on how to save money at grocery stores, street markets and charity shops. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Ships remain cautious approaching Strait of Hormuz amid fragile ceasefire
Only a few vessels have crossed the strait since the US-Iran ceasefire deal, according to BBC Verify analysis.
bbc.com
Petrol and diesel prices rise again as concerns grow over ceasefire
Motoring groups have warned drivers not to expect a significant drop in costs soon.
cnbc.com
Volatility is the 'new norm' for government bonds as interest rate uncertainty sees yields whipsaw
The fragile nature of the Middle East ceasefire agreement sent bonds into reverse on Thursday.
theguardian.com
BA to reduce Middle East flights when services resume in July
After suspending routes owing to Iran war, airline will operate more direct flights to India and KenyaMiddle East crisis – live updatesBritish Airways will offer a reduced flight schedule to the Middle East when it resumes services in July, and use the aircraft to operate more direct flights to India and Kenya.The airline has currently suspended services to the region because of the Iran war, and plans to resume flights to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, in mid-May, as well as services to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv on 1 July. It is cutting its Dubai flights from three – a day to one daily flight, and reducing services to Doha, Tel Aviv and Riyadh from two to one a day. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How to defeat Trump every time | Robert Reich
Iran, Minneapolis, Harvard and other Trump opponents have employed a similar strategyAn hour before Trump said he’d cause the death of a “whole civilization” if Iran didn’t open the strait of Hormuz, an Iranian official said the shipping channel would be reopened for two weeks if the United States stopped bombing Iran. The US has now stopped bombing Iran.So we’re back to the status quo before Trump began his war. Only now, Iran can credibly threaten to close the strait if it doesn’t get what it wants from Trump – thereby causing havoc to the US and world economies. Trump’s only remaining bargaining chip is his threat of committing war crimes. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Argentina approves Milei’s glacier mining bill amid environmental protests
Legislative change backed by libertarian president makes it easier to extract metals in frozen parts of the AndesArgentina’s congress has approved a bill promoted by the libertarian president, Javier Milei, that authorises mining in ecologically sensitive areas of glaciers and permafrost, outraging environmentalists.The amendment to the “glacier law”, which was already approved by the senate in February, would make it easier to mine for metals such as copper, lithium and silver in frozen parts of the Andes mountains. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Will UK petrol and diesel prices start going down?
UK petrol prices have risen because of the US-Israel war with Iran but the ceasefire could see prices drop.
cnbc.com
OpenAI halts UK stargate project amid regulatory and energy price concerns
The major AI infrastructure was announced in September in partnership was with Nvidia and Nscale.
bbc.com
Lidl begins building its first ever pub
The development is an unusual consequence of Northern Ireland's strict licensing laws.
theguardian.com
It shouldn’t take a war for Britain to wake up to the need for food security | Tim Lang
Everyone has a part to play in reducing our reliance on imported foods, but ministers must provide incentivesTim Lang is professor emeritus of food policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City St George’s, University of LondonThe British state has form on food security. It ignores it until there’s a crisis – and then it’s forced to do rapidly what could have been done better, if only food had been taken more seriously in the first place. We’re revisiting this truth today as the food system’s oil dependency is revealed by the US-Israel war on Iran. Oil transports the food from farm to fork. It’s turned into the fertilisers that have allowed food production to rise since the second world war. It takes us to the shops (unless we walk or cycle).This dependency was also revealed when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and when oil hit $100 a barrel in 2008, and in the 1970s oil shock. When the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and the environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, called the big food retailers in last week, it showed they were aware of this impact but weren’t prepared for what to do.Tim Lang is professor emeritus of food policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City St George’s, University of London Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Iran oil shock stirs memories of 1997 Asian Financial Crisis — but here’s why history may not repeat itself
The Hormuz disruption is hammering Asian economies with surging energy costs and weakening currencies, but a repeat of the crisis three decades ago is unlikely.
cnbc.com
Britain to call for toll-free Strait of Hormuz, says Lebanon must be part of Iran ceasefire
In an annual foreign policy speech, Cooper is expected to say that shipping must be toll-free through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
Fast food, faster charging? BYD and KFC China collaborate to offer 9-minute refueling stations
BYD announced Wednesday a partnership with KFC China to develop a network of "nine-minute" drive-thrus across the mainland.
bbc.com
UK farmers warn Iran ceasefire too late to stop higher food costs
Despite a ceasefire, the Iran war will continue to affect farmers' costs and therefore food prices.
cnbc.com
Asia-Pacific markets decline as investors assess fragile Iran-U.S. ceasefire deal
Iran's parliamentary speaker charged the U.S. of breaching the terms of the two-week ceasefire agreement.
theguardian.com
Campaigners demand action to break UK’s ‘addiction’ to controversial herbicide
Use of glyphosate has risen 10-fold in 30 years, raising fears for public healthIt was Scottish farmers in the 1980s who pioneered the practice of spraying glyphosate on their wheat just before harvest. Struggling in the damp glens to get their crop to dry evenly, they came up with the idea of accelerating the process by killing it a week or two before harvesting.Glyphosate, then a revolutionary herbicide that killed everything plant-based but spared animal life, seemed perfect for the job. Soon the practice spread to wetter, colder agricultural regions around the world. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I’ve not had proper food for days’: migrant workers leave India’s cities as Iran war fuel crisis deepens
Gas shortages and rising food prices mean many who came to the capital for work cannot afford to eat. Going home is now their only optionAt 9am on a Saturday, 35-year-old Raju Prasad rushes through Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi, a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Beside him, his wife clutches their youngest daughter with one arm and a white plastic bucket with the other. Their three other children trail behind – one dragging a trolley bag, the others holding on to whatever little they can manage. With Prasad’s brother, the family of seven is leaving for Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.They had moved to India’s capital nine months ago. The couple worked as ragpickers and were paid about 500 rupees a day (about £4), working long 10-hour shifts. But any dreams of building a more secure future in Delhi and sending their children to school have been lost, as rising food costs and the impact of the Middle East crisis on fuel availability and prices have meant the past few weeks have been a fight for basic survival. Now they are moving back to their village. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ed Miliband hold firm! North sea oil and gas drilling won’t help anyone other than Nigel Farage | Zoe Williams
It’s worrying to watch Labour entertain Reform’s fantasies about fossil fuels. Only renewables will bring lower bills and higher energy securityEd Miliband is facing a dilemma, apparently. Reform UK is suggesting new oil and gas licences in the North Sea as a way to cut fuel bills and they’re steadily gaining cheerleaders – not just in the media, but also in some trade unions.Labour – having swept into power on a green-friendly manifesto, much of which has already been abandoned, but the kernel of which was to prioritise green over fossil energy – is in a bind. It’s plain that fresh exploration of the North Sea would run counter to the party’s every principle, and particularly those of Miliband, whose legacy will be his career-long commitment to the scrappy, dogged, surely often tedious and dispiriting legislative fight against climate breakdown. And yet, equally plainly, the pressure from Nigel Farage is only going to get more intense: he has framed the issue of North Sea oil and gas versus renewables as an elemental fight between the common man and the elites. The wokerati doesn’t care about your cost of living crisis, while the hard right does. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How the Iran war affects your money and bills
The conflict in the Middle East has increased pressure on the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump touts "next conquest"
President Trump touts his "next conquest" amid increasing concerns over the fragility of the ceasefire agreement with Iran.
bbc.com
The food waste 'saints' feeding city's children
Janet Leng and Marian Hodgson volunteer at I Am Reusable food bank and redistribute food to schools.
cnbc.com
From war to weather: A 'super El Niño' event poses fresh risks to global food costs
An unusually powerful El Niño weather event could take shape later this year, exacerbating global food security fears.
theguardian.com
Ten years after Brexit, this is the UK: a divided nation frozen in time | Aditya Chakrabortty
Tribalism has not faded over the past decade. Instead, new research reveals our politics has become ever-more polarised and fractiousOn 23 June 2016, the British voter changed. Before that day, they picked a party, usually red or blue. By that morning, only two tribes mattered: remain or leave. And they kept mattering long, long after the result was declared. Rather than bin those short-lived and now stale allegiances, voters made them their personas. No longer a “Labour man” or a “Conservative family”, they became instead “remoaners” or “Brexiters”. Even today, 60% of Britons still identify themselves by where they scrawled a single cross in a one-off poll 10 years ago.Ask about the difference Brexit has made and the answer normally concerns policy or high politics: how our economic trajectory has become bumpier, or how the Tories keep getting into punch-ups with each other. But it became so much bigger than Boris v Dave. The civil war blazed through the country, and recruited nearly all of us to one side or the other. The effects still ripple through our elections and media today.Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Give all UK households a set amount of subsidised energy, says thinktank
Proposal to help people heat two rooms, provide hot water and run key appliances without incurring more debtIn order to cut rising bills all UK households should receive a minimum amount of energy at rates subsidised by the government through North Sea taxes, a thinktank has suggested.Providing all homes with enough energy to heat two rooms, provide hot water and run key appliances such as a fridge and washing machine, at rates frozen at current levels, would require a subsidy of about £4.5bn, according to the New Economics Foundation. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Poorly run, piece of ice': Trump targets Greenland again as Iran war deepens NATO rift
Trump has set his eyes on Greenland again while venting frustration at NATO, as the diplomatic fallout from Iran war exposed rifts in the security alliance.
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Tariffs and Iran war threaten India's $100 billion garments export goal
U.S. tariffs and the Iran war have battered India’s garment industry, raising costs, hitting exports, and dashing hopes of a recovery.
theguardian.com
Newly created Polymarket accounts win big on well-timed Iran ceasefire bets
Customers make hundreds of thousands of dollars as records show substantial bets made before announcementMiddle East crisis – live updatesA group of new accounts on the prediction market Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the US and Iran would reach a ceasefire on Tuesday, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers.These bets were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, Donald Trump’s rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent. Early in the day Trump had issued a warning on social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his demand to open the strait of Hormuz by his 8pm ET deadline. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Anthropic loses appeals court bid to temporarily block Pentagon blacklisting
A federal appeals on denied Anthropic's request for a stay in its lawsuit against the Department of Defense.
cnbc.com
Brent oil spot price above $120 in sign that Iran ceasefire can't solve deep disruption
The Brent spot price reflects the reality of tight supplies on land and sea, analysts say.
theguardian.com
How KFC, AKA Korean fried chicken, took over the world
The dish, adapted from one brought by US soldiers after the Korean war, has sparked thousands of variations and sits at the forefront of the K-food waveInside a teaching kitchen south-east of Seoul, I coat a whole chicken – cut into eight parts – in batter and dip the pieces carefully into a bowl of powdered mix until covered in a light, fluffy layer.A chef watches intently. “Don’t rub it,” he says. “Keep it delicate.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Meta debuts new AI model, attempting to catch Google, OpenAI after spending billions
Meta debuted its first major large language model, Muse Spark, spearheaded by chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, who leads Meta Superintelligence Labs.
bbc.com
The construction boss who built a new life after three years in prison
Traci Quinn, who was jailed for a drugs offence, has transformed herself and set up a successful firm.
theguardian.com
Ministers unveil ‘right to try’ plan to help disabled people find work
Threat of losing benefits will be lifted but campaigners say more help needed to tackle hostile workplaces The government has unveiled its plan to allow disabled people to try work without fear of losing their benefits, but campaigners warn the policy does not go far enough to tackle hostile workplaces.Legislation laid before parliament on Thursday will mean that people who start work or volunteering no longer automatically face a benefit reassessment, a prospect disabled people said was holding them back from trying to gain employment. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. has violated ceasefire agreement, Iran parliamentary speaker says
The two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran appeared at risk of unraveling less than a day after it was announced.
cnbc.com
Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Nvidia lead tech rally after Trump announces ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump's Iran ceasefire announcement provided some relief to Wall Street and tech stocks shared in the rally.
cnbc.com
Latest investigation into bitcoin founder ties identity to Blockstream CEO Adam Back
A report by The New York Times says it has discovered the identity of the pseudonymous creator of bitcoin known as Satoshi Nakamoto.
theguardian.com
Relief in financial markets after Iran ceasefire – but it is far from absolute | Richard Partington
Situation still volatile as Tehran and Washington issue conflicting messages about opening of Hormuz channelA plunge in the oil price, stock market rally and renewed hopes for the global economic outlook. After the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, the relief in financial markets was palpable. But it is far from absolute.For the past six weeks, the economic damage had been steadily mounting, as the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz by Tehran triggered the worst energy crisis of the modern era. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Will shipping in the strait of Hormuz – and oil prices – return to normal?
Analysts say doubts over stability of the ceasefire and damage to production sites mean the energy crisis is far from overMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf the US-Israeli ceasefire with Iran holds, it could offer the clearest hope of an end to the energy crisis since Iran’s Revolutionary Guards assumed control of the strait of Hormuz after the conflict began 40 days ago.The deal is already looking shaky, with Iran arguing late on Wednesday that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon breach it and state media claiming that the key waterway had again been closed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘You can’t take that on the plane for free!’ How Ryanair turned its staff into bounty hunters
Ground staff earn €2.50 for every piece of oversized luggage that they intercept. Meanwhile, passengers who are caught out pay a much bigger penaltyName: Oversized cabin bags.Age: Venerable – but prior to the advent of airline cabins, they were simply known as “bags”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
US-Iran ceasefire: has Tehran played Trump? - The Latest
The US and Iran have agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire, thanks to a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan.The conditions include a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, but Israel’s position was left unclear, with airstrikes continuing on the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Both sides have since claimed victory but who, if anyone, is the real winner here? Lucy Hough speaks to senior international reporter Peter Beaumont Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Ray Dalio: Trump-Xi meeting to focus on trade, capital flows
Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio told CNBC he is optimistic about the outcome of a meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents next month.
bbc.com
Airlines cut flights and hike fares as fuel prices surge
Airlines have reduced services and lifted ticket costs as the Iran war weighs on jet fuel costs.
bbc.com
Government profiting from rising costs 'not right'
The consumer council says the government is profiting from rising fuel costs via taxation.
bbc.com
Why fuel and food prices could still be affected for months
Analysts fear long-lasting economic damage from the US-Israel war with Iran has already been set in motion.
theguardian.com
‘Should it all just be renationalised?’ – your water crisis questions answered
Sandra Laville has been reporting on England’s sewage crisis for years. She answered your questions on the water privatisation scandal.Guardian environment correspondent Sandra Laville’s reporting on the sewage crisis in English water has helped to expose a scandal of privatisation that has created a swell of fury across the political divide. Sandra has now finished answering your questions. Read the Q&A below.The government has put the cost of renationalising water at £100bn. But this is a disputed figure. Academics working with the People’s Commission on the Water Sector say this figure is ‘serious scaremongering created on biased evidence’ which was paid for by water companies. It is based on the Regulatory Capital Value of companies as determined by Ofwat, not the” true and fair value in law”, which reflects losses from market failures, like the cost of pollution or the monopoly profits taken by shareholders and banks.The route to renationalisation could come via the system set up legally when the companies were privatised. Under the law companies can be put into special administration if they are unable to pay debts, if they breach licence obligations, such as on sewage pollution, or failing to supply water, and if it is considered in the public interest to do so. Special administration is a form of temporary renationalisation.This is the million dollar question! While tackling separation across the whole network at once is considered too disruptive and costly, particularly in urban environments, the chartered institute of water and environmental management says moving towards separated systems is their key focus to address urban pollution and storm water sewage releases. New developments, for example, are now mandated to have separate pipes for foul wastewater and surface water run off.They also want to see the increased use of sustainable drainage systems like water butts, and storage basins for existing properties, to reduce the amount of runoff into the system. Keeping gardens rather than paving them over, and creating so called sponge cities is also key to tackling pollution.The UK was described as the dirty man of Europe back in the 70s and 80s, due to levels of pollution. For example in coastal towns there were no water treatment plants to treat sewage, raw sewage was just pumped and dumped into the sea. It was only when the EU directives came in that the clean up began. Chief amongst these was the Urban Wastewater directive, the Water Framework directive, and the Bathing Water directive.Since leaving the EU there have been fears that these pieces of legislation could be watered down. James Bevan, as CEO of the Environment Agency, talked about changing the Water Framework Directive, essentially to make it easier for rivers to pass tests for chemical and biological health. Currently no river is rated as in good overall health under the WFD where rivers have to pass both chemical and biological health tests. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Councils working on policy for heating oil support
A new government fund launched on 1 April will provide financial support for households on heating oil.
theguardian.com
It’s finally happened: I’m now worried about AI. And consulting ChatGPT did nothing to allay my fears | Emma Brockes
A highly alarming New Yorker feature on the machinations of Sam Altman drove me to test his AI for myself. The results were, well, highly alarming A corollary of the truism “don’t sweat the small stuff” is, by implication, “do sweat the big stuff”, but it can be hard to pick which big stuff to sweat. For example: since the 1970s, as the world has worried about inflation and rolling geopolitics, the big stuff we should have been sweating more urgently was the climate crisis. Last year, the top trending search on Google in the US was “Charlie Kirk”, with several terms relating to the threat posed by Donald Trump also popular, when the focus should arguably have been the threat posed by AI.Or, per my own Googling this week after reading Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz’s highly alarming lengthy piece in the New Yorker about the rise of artificial general intelligence: “Will I be a member of the permanent underclass and how can I make that not happen?”Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
bbc.com
Faisal Islam: Iran war pause is welcome but the economic scars will last
Allowing all ships through the Strait of Hormuz will calm markets but the war has created new problems.
cnbc.com
JD Vance calls Iran ceasefire a 'fragile truce' and says Trump is 'impatient to make progress'
The U.S. vice president said the response from Iran to the ceasefire had varied, with some 'lying about even the fragile truce that we've already struck.'
theguardian.com
‘We can’t increase prices any more’: UK hospitality firms hit by cost triple blow
Struggling pubs reel from rising business rates, wages and energy bills, with customers at limit of what they will payNick Evans is staring in vain at columns of numbers, trying to make them add up to a profit. He is a co-owner of the Old Crown Coaching Inn in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, a pub and hotel whose rich history is etched into its crooked wooden beams and cosy snugs.Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1645. A room believed to have been used by the notoriously severe “hanging judge” Lord Jeffreys to condemn rebels now stages happier encounters: it is the honeymoon suite. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
JD Vance warns Iran to act in good faith in 'fragile' ceasefire – video
Iran must negotiate in 'good faith' during the two-week ceasefire, said the US vice-president, JD Vance, as he called it a 'fragile truce'.The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday evening, which includes a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, cancelling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destructionUS and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire as Tehran says it will reopen strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updates Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK house prices fall as Iran war uncertainty dampens demand
Mortgage rates have been rising and hundreds of the cheapest deals have disappeared over the last month.
bbc.com
What do businesses want ahead of the election?
Shops, cafes and restaurants in Cardigan say increasing costs and low footfall are making it harder.
theguardian.com
‘The water is no longer our friend’: how dredging is pushing Lagos Lagoon towards ecosystem collapse – photo essay
Taking sand from the Nigerian city’s lagoon to supply a building boom harms more than fish – it affects the entire food chain, erodes coastlines and is depriving fishing communities of their livelihoodsBefore dawn, when the noise of Lagos’s danfo buses fills the air and generators rumble to life, the city’s lagoon is already stirring. Not from fish splashing or canoes gliding, but from the long suction pipes of the dredging machines, pulling up the lagoon bed and spitting out wet sand that will be used in the construction of high-rise blocks, housing estates and flyovers.Sand dredging is regulated by the Lagos state government and the waterways authority but in a city of more than 20 million people, where sharp sand has never been in higher demand, not all dredging is being done by the book.Dredging leaves its mark on the landscape along the shores of the Lagos Lagoon in Epe Continue reading...
bbc.com
Music giant Universal gets $64bn takeover offer
The music giant behind acts such as Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter gets an offer from Bill Ackman's Pershing Square.
bbc.com
India's lack of widebody aircraft a 'scandal', says incoming IndiGo chief
India’s aviation market is set to grow but is held back by limited long-haul capacity, says Willie Walsh.
cnbc.com
A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire sparks market relief — but no clear path to lasting peace
The fragile ceasefire agreement is likely to face significant challenges, analysts told CNBC, citing a significant trust deficit on both sides.
theguardian.com
‘This is about people’s livelihoods’: how surging tool thefts are leaving tradespeople penniless and afraid
More than 80% of the UK’s tradespeople have had tools stolen. Some have lost months of work as a result. With thefts up 16% in a year, can the police and the government do anything to protect them?If you’re on social media and have even a passing interest in home improvement, there’s a good chance you will have seen Kevin Tingley’s work. The 39-year-old decorator is known as Paint Warrior – and has millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram. He’s in demand, highly skilled, generous in sharing tips from his many years of experience and even has his own range of products on sale in the UK and the US.But even with his social media army and branded brushes, he’s still not immune to the biggest threat faced by British tradespeople: tool theft. “It was Boxing Day morning,” Tingley says. “I was still in bed, my wife was on her way to the gym. She came running back in and told me that all the doors of my van were open.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
The US refinery now processing Venezuelan oil
Chevron is now importing 250,000 barrels of crude per day from Venezuela.
theguardian.com
World held hostage by reliance on fossil fuels, Christiana Figueres warns – and climate health impacts are ‘mother of all injustices’
Exclusive: Former UN climate chief to co-chair Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequalityWhat are the health impacts of sea-level rise, and who should pay?Christiana Figueres: Sea-level rise is a health crisis and we must hold polluters accountableCountries are being “held hostage” by their reliance on fossil fuels, a former UN climate chief has warned, describing the health impacts of climate change as “the mother of all injustices”.Christiana Figueres, an international climate negotiator who helped deliver the Paris agreement signed in 2016, made the comments as she was announced on Wednesday as co-chair of a Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequality. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Indian migrant workers hit by cooking gas shortages are leaving cities
Migrant workers say they are struggling to access cooking gas cylinders as the Iran war squeezes supplies.
bbc.com
Oil price fluctuates ahead of Trump's Iran deal deadline
The US president has threatened to take out Iran "in one night" if it does not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz.
theguardian.com
Why is the UK government capping student loan interest and will graduates now pay less?
Decision to cap interest rate at 6% in England and Wales from September is unlikely to defuse row over crippling cost of debtFull story: UK caps interest rate on student loansThe government has announced a small concession for millions of university graduates in England and Wales with “plan 2” student loans.However, the decision to cap the interest rate charged at 6% from September is unlikely to defuse the row over the crippling cost of degree course debts. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK government caps student loan interest rates at 6% from September
Minister says change for plan 2 and 3 loans in England and Wales will protect borrowers from impact of global conflictExplainer: what the rate cap means for graduatesMillions of graduates will have the interest on their student loans capped at 6% from September as a temporary measure to protect them from the risk of rising inflation driven by war in the Middle East.Ministers acted after months of criticism over the loans becoming a “debt trap” that often leave graduates in England and Wales paying tens of thousands more than the original loan amount. Continue reading...
bbc.com
OpenAI encourages firms to trial four-day weeks to adapt to AI era
The ChatGPT-maker said its early policy ideas aim to prompt discussions about action needed as AI systems become more capable.
bbc.com
Plan 2 student loan interest rates capped at 6% in England
The cap on Plan 2 and postgraduate loan interest rates comes amid a risk of rising inflation.
bbc.com
Air India CEO steps down early as losses mount
Wilson, whose term was set to end in 2027, will remain CEO and MD until a successor is appointed.
bbc.com
Price of first class stamp rises to £1.80
The rise come as the postal service faces criticism over missing delivery targets.
theguardian.com
My mother has been overpaid her civil service pension and ordered to repay it
Through no fault of their own, she faces repaying £100 a month until she is 93 or face legal actionMy 66-year-old mother has been told that she has been overpaid her civil service pension by £40,000 and must repay it, or face legal action. Once the tax she’s paid on the income is deducted, she owes £32,000.Her monthly pension payments have now been cut, which means her annual income will fall from £19,700 to £12,000, and she was, additionally, ordered to repay £496 a month for five years. This was later reduced to £100 a month, and a charge was put on her house as security. She’s been told she will have paid everything she owes when she’s 93. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Calls grow for UK government to automatically release child trust funds at 21
State-funded savings accounts set up for children at birth going unclaimed, with £1.5bn estimated to be sitting in bank accountsAs Elle Middlemas approached her 18th birthday, she began wondering if she had a child trust fund, a government savings account given to all children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, that can be accessed as soon as they officially hit adulthood.She quickly hit a dead end. She wasn’t sure if she was even owed the money and could find no information online. An email to HMRC seeking clarity led her nowhere. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Italy has the best benefits’: Milan takes on Dubai as home for the super-rich
With the UAE under fire from Iranian missiles, wealthy investors are turning to Italy’s flat-tax havenJust over a month ago, Dubai was the obvious destination for wealthy Britons in search of a new home. Few cities allow you to earn vast sums tax-free and spend them across any number of luxury hotels, restaurants and shops.But as the United Arab Emirates comes under Iranian fire, Dubai’s reputation – in part created by emigrant influencers – as a haven for the global elite is eroding. Super-rich UK nationals are now looking for a route back to Europe; and Milan, the financial centre of Italy, is climbing to the top of the list. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
George Monbiot on our fragile food system – podcast
The Guardian columnist speaks about why we need to tackle global food insecurity“There are lots of different components to food security,” the Guardian columnist George Monbiot tells Nosheen Iqbal. “If you are totally dependent on the production within your own borders, well, one bad harvest can throw you into insecurity.“So, a large part of our national food security, and this applies to many countries around the world, is now highly dependent on global trade. It means that if you have harvest failure in one part of the world, then the gap can be filled by production elsewhere.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
India's high-growth economy gets a Middle East oil shock
India's currency, stocks and growth projections take a beating as the country faces a triple energy shock due to Iran war.
bbc.com
Trump's deadline looms but Asian nations already have deals with Iran
Nations in the region have been keen to reach agreements as their economies are heavily reliant on Middle East energy.
bbc.com
Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search
Firms are changing the way they present information on their websites, so they get noticed by AI.
theguardian.com
Tech companies are cutting jobs and betting on AI. The payoff is far from guaranteed
AI experts say we’re living in an experiment that may fundamentally change the model of workSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHundreds of thousands of tech workers are facing a harsh reality. Their well-paying jobs are no longer safe. Now that artificial intelligence (AI) is here, their futures don’t look as bright as they did a decade ago.As US tech companies have ramped up investments in AI, they have slashed a staggering number of jobs. Microsoft cut 15,000 workers last year. Amazon laid off 30,000 employees in the last six months. The financial-services company Block eliminated more than 4,000 people, or 40% of its workforce, in February. Meta laid off more than 1,000 in the last six months, and, according to a Reuters report, may cut 20% of all employees in the near future. Just this week, the software giant Oracle laid off thousands of workers. Smaller players like Pinterest and Atlassian also made recent cuts, culling about 15% and 10% of their workforces, respectively. Estimates put the total number of tech layoffs in the past year at more than 165,000, according to the tracker Layoffs.fyi. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I jump in the sea to refresh my brain': How remote workers are boosting coastal towns
The rise in remote working means many professionals are choosing to settle in coastal and rural towns.
cnbc.com
AI data center boom ‘stress tests’ insurers as private capital floods in
Rapid technological advancements and the huge sums of money flowing into the data center are posing both risks and rewards for insurers.
theguardian.com
Move over Murdochs, here come the Ellisons – podcast
Margaret Sullivan on the the billionaire father and son buying up the US mediaSpeaking at a press conference last month, the US secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, criticised CNN’s ‘fake news’ coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran.‘The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,’ he told the room of journalists. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Spain's huge pork industry seeks salvation from swine fever threat
Countries around the world, including the US, have already stopped imports over the outbreak.
bbc.com
Benefits and pensions rise as two-child cap ends
Families on some benefits with three or more children will get an average rise of £4,100 a year.
bbc.com
How China fell for a lobster: What an AI assistant tells us about Beijing's ambition
The AI agent sparked a frenzy of "raising lobsters" in March, with users training the tool to suit their needs.
bbc.com
Pepsi withdraws as UK festival sponsor after Kanye West backlash
Sir Keir Starmer says it is "deeply concerning" the rapper is set to headline a festival after recent antisemitic comments.
bbc.com
National Minimum Wage rises this week
Around 2.7 million people are set to receive a pay rise this week as the national minimum wage goes up by 50p to £12.71 for over 21s.
bbc.com
New laws to make it easier to cancel subscriptions
A crackdown on "subscription traps" could save the average person nearly £170 a year, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
bbc.com
How will car finance compensation payments work?
Millions could be entitled to compensation as a result of commission arrangements between lenders and dealers.
bbc.com
Are domes and spheres the future of entertainment?
Rivals are emerging for the Las Vegas Sphere - are domes and spheres the future for entertainment?
bbc.com
Why Chinese tech companies are racing to set up in Hong Kong
Mainland firms are using the territory to test products and as a springboard for global expansion.
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
'Affordability is the biggest thing' - Conservatives mixed on economy under Trump
Conservatives gathered at the annual CPAC conference in Texas were mixed when asked about their feelings on the current economy.
bbc.com
The spiky cactus fruit giving Indian farmers a cash boost
Indian farmers are turning to dragon fruit as a profitable alternative to mangoes and coffee.
bbc.com
Who knew Lord Sugar is a table tennis fan?
The Apprentice candidates try to sell a table tennis set live on TV.
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
The homeless teenager who became a successful advertising boss
Greg Daily has swapped sleeping on friends' sofas for running a popular digital marketing company.
bbc.com
Would you build your own apps?
Start-ups are offering tech for novices to create apps with the help of AI.
bbc.com
US weight-loss drugmakers slash prices in fight to win customers
Weight-loss drug prices are falling in the US - but can the example be repeated?
bbc.com
Germany has a shortage of workers - so it's turning to India for help
The European nation, struggling to find skilled staff, is giving jobs to young people from India.
bbc.com
'Club vibes without the hangover': The twenty-somethings going out - in the gym
Young people are driving a gym boom as more fitness spaces are transformed into vibrant hangouts.
bbc.com
Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP
How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
bbc.com
Colombia's budding tech scene needs a cash boost
Colombia has become a tech hub for Latin America, but attracting investors is a challenge.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country's defence
The chains all have detailed plans to follow in the event of the nation going to war.
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
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